Senator PATERSON (Victoria) (14:02): Griffith University Professor Graeme Hughes said: This means homeowners must prepare for the cash rate to stay put for the foreseeable future. Adding to the pressure is Canberra's spending … effectively working against the RBA's efforts to bring rising prices under control. Minister, do you admit the economic reality that growth in government spending running four times faster than the growth in the economy is now having real effects on prices, inflation, interest rates and real wages?